


Fathers and Sons

by justmariamay



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Betrayal, Devotion, Family, Gen, Mentors, Motherhood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 03:20:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1763961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justmariamay/pseuds/justmariamay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this work I want to explore parent/child relashionships of Mass Effect, there are really a lot of them. Each chapter is a separate short story about certain character:<br/>1)Hannah Shepard; 2)Okeer's flawed krogan</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. CHILD'S GAME

_-Jane! Jane, dear! Hiding again?_

_Little red head appeared from behind the crates. Grey eyes sparkled with mischief._

_-I'm not hiding, I'm infiltrating!_

Rear Admiral Shepard, SSV Orizaba, leading the Fifth Fleet back to Earth, to the battle that will be the last. Anderson believes it, Hackett believes it, Jane is absolutely sure, so why Hannah would doubt? So she doesn't.

-Admiral Hackett, the Fifth Fleet is ready and waiting, - her voice steady and confident. And still...

_-Well of course you are, tiny marine._

_-I'm not tiny! When I grow up, I'll be bigger than you, mom! You'll see!_

And now her little girl is bigger than anyone in the galaxy. Hannah is proud, she always was... Her daughter achieved the impossible. Turian, Quarian and even Geth fleets are here to fight for Earth, STG ships are already dropping Krogan troops, and Normandy makes her way through enemy forces. Someone has to open the Citadel and Hannah knows who is that someone. "Who else?" - she thought with equal shares of pride, sadness and annoyance.

_-...I'll be so big, all mean Batarians will flee at the sight of me!_

_-Yes, dear, they most certainly will._

_-Yes! And then... mom, are you laughing?_

_-Me? No way!_

Hours and hours... They have to protect the Crucible. Hannah has given everything to build that thing, like many others, so they have to... There are voices all around, her own is lost among them:

-Something's wrong!

-The battery!..

-Did anyone make it?

-How soon?..

-Where's Anderson?

-Elbrus is down! Repeat, Elbrus is down!

Hannah feels like a damn rookie: anxiety and tension and fear to fail. But she's no Johny Raw, she's an admiral with steel grey eyes and hair to match, an old soldier, a mother... She has no right to fail.

_-Mom! If you won't stop laughing right now, I'll marry a Krogan!_

_-What, right now?_

_-Or rather I'll marry you and a Krogan!_

_-Ooh, that's a threat, but... Wanna know a secret?_

_-What is it?_

_-I prefer Salarians._

_-Mom!_

-Admiral! We've been hit! The starboard is damaged!

-Don't panic! This dreadnought can take more than this!

And then she sees it: the Citadel is opening wide, as if some grotesque iron flower has bloomed. Oh, Jane, always making mother proud.

_-Alright, let's discuss marriage when you are older. And now we should infiltrate into the mess..._

_-...and explore how Fabian makes the food taste like ass._

_-Jane!_

The Crucible is attached to the Citadel like it always belonged there. But nothing happens. Nothing at all. Hannah hears Hackett, always so calm and collected, you can think you are not in the middle of hell. Then she hears her. Of course it is her. Who else? Jane sounds tired, wounded, but she'll do what has to be done. So will her mother.

_-Well, if that wasn't an adventure._

_-Told you so!_

_-Dear, I have to go back to the bridge, return to my post._

_-Alright... I'll just go pester Chief Turner._

_-You do that, he likes it._

_-Mom, wait!_

_-Hmm?_

_-Just so you know... I love you and very-very proud to be your daughter. You're my hero!_

_-And you are mine, Jane._

Those agonizing minutes. There's hope and despair, and the battle is drowning in sounds of voices and silence of the space.

-Look, there is some energy gathering!

-Crucible is working!

It is. It's gonna be over soon. Mere seconds.

Another reaper's beam and the bridge of Orizaba is shaking from the impact. It doesn't matter anymore. It's done.

_I love you too, dear..._


	2. FLESH OF STONE, HEART OF GLASS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about one of Okeer's failed test subjects. I really feel for those poor things.

Three cycles. He waits, waits patiently. Someone has to call him. The human female tries. Her voice is loud. Her words are empty. When he doesn't answer she tries to kill him. Humans and Turians in blue armor, they are fragile. To him they seem even more fragile than his Glass Mother. The female doesn't succeed. He's a warrior. Father made him a warrior. Even if he's not perfect.

Five cycles. He meets his brothers, blinded by the shine of blue suns, deafened by the loud and empty voice. He kills them. Because he's stronger. Even if he's not perfect. He misses father. His voice in his head makes more sense, than female's ever could. He can't go back to father; he is not allowed to see the Glass Mother again. Father is not happy with him and father is right. He is flawed and sullied. He doesn't know where his flaws are. He doesn't care. He's not perfect, but someone will need him, someone will call him. Father said so.

Six cycles. The sun is especially bright. It burns and his head becomes like this sun: the big ball of fire, light and scary. The word 'madness' is stuck in his head. The word 'terror' is hiding in the shadows. He kills a Turian among the others. He kills him... her with empty hands. She's tough like all Turians are and she's worthy enemy, he likes the way her skull cracks under his foot. He hates Turians. He knows how to fight them. He likes killing them. He's good at it. Even if he's not perfect.

Seven cycles. The sun is not as cruel as before. His head is almost clear, almost empty. It's worse, all he can think before they start to shoot at him is father, his voice and mother's transparent cold warmth. He kills again, like he did before, like he'll have to do after. They are not worthy. They don't deserve him. Father despises the loud female, so does he.

Then there is somebody else. Three somebodies. Different. Indifferent to him. Good for them. Their leader asks him about father and the Glass Mother. He answers. But Human asks questions again, stupid questions, needless questions. Again and again. Stupid questions. Stupid human. He shows them way to the Glass Mother, because he knows they won't hurt her. Human says 'thanks'. Stupid human. Humans dark eyes are strange, there is something in them, when he says it. The word 'pity' appears in his head. 'Pity'... he knows the definition, but it is not something he's allowed to feel for anyone. It is stupid thing to feel. He knows it, even if he is not perfect.

Eight cycles. Something changed. No more annoying empty words, no more loud female's voice. Blue weakling soldiers doesn't care for him anymore. Good for them. They are busy killing each other. He knows why, he knows what it is. A fight for domination. He can participate and even win this fight. But they don't deserve him. He understands it, even if he's not perfect.

Nine cycles. He walks through the rubbles. He notices that his armor is damaged very badly. He could have fixed it, if he noticed it earlier. It doesn't matter, he heals quickly. But father's voice in his head insists he takes armor from one of his dead brothers. He listens. Father is never wrong. New armor fits perfect, even if he's not perfect.

Ten cycles. He meets an asari. She's armed, but harmless to him. Good for her. He keeps walking. The asari follows. He doesn't mind. She is silent. It is good. He's not alone. It is good. He doesn't want loneliness. Maybe, that's why he's not perfect.

Eleven cycles. The asari finds her tongue. Rana, she says, Rana Thanoptis. The name makes sense. She helped father. She says father is dead. Stupid asari. Father is in his head, he cannot die. So he tells her that. Her eyes become big and she looks at him with 'pity'. Stupid asari. Few hours later as they walk she asks his help, says she wants to leave this dead cruel planet. She doesn't order that's why she's still alive. He asks what he gains from it. Father doesn't need to remind him. He knows that everything has its price, even if he's not perfect.

Twelve cycles and he's finally off the planet, 'Korlus' is the name in his head. He didn't know how much he wanted to leave. Asari is beside him, eyeing him with caution. She said he could leave with her, but they need to part after that. She said she is dangerous. He cannot see how this fragile creature is any danger. But she doesn't seem to lie. Then asari... Rana asks what he knows about father. And he tells her, that father is great warrior, that father is always right, that father always helps him when he is lost. He also tells her, how kind and beautiful Glass Mother is. He doesn't tell he misses her, but Rana seems to realize it anyway. Then she says she knows how he is not perfect. He says he doesn't want to know. But she tells him in spite of his protest. She says his only flaw is that he loves his parents too much. Stupid asari. Stupid imperfect him.


End file.
